DraftKings NBA: Value Plays for the Week

Dave “Loughy” Loughran is a successful Daily Fantasy Sports player who is also no stranger to the seasonal fantasy world. While educated at Temple University, he always managed to prepare his fantasy content before, during and after class. A stat junkie, Loughy digs deep, unearthing statistical gems to help fantasy enthusiasts thicken their pockets. Dave appears on the Shane Dennis show on KFH FM Radio Wichita every Thursday at 7:25ET to provide his weekly fantasy football analysis. Follow him on Twitter @Loughy_D.

Jameer Nelson, PG, ORL ($5,300): There hasn’t been much to love about Nelson from a fantasy standpoint, as he has been average at best when healthy enough to play. That being said, a matchup with the Cavaliers, who’ve surrendered the third most fantasy points (43.3 FPPG), rebounds (5.8 RPG) and second most assists (9.7 APG) to opposing point guards makes him well worth a look at only $5,300 on DraftKings. Through three meetings with Cleveland this season, Nelson is averaging 12 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 32.8 DKPTs through nearly 38 minutes per game. He is a quality option this evening regardless of Kyrie Irving’s status, and shouldn’t have any trouble exceeding 30 DKPTs in what should be a closely contested affair at the Amway Center.

A Look Ahead: At Nelson’s current salary, he’ll require a mere 30 DKPTs to meet value each night, making him a serviceable point guard play going forward in plus matchups.

Ray McCallum, PG, SAC ($5,000): McCallum has seen his salary spike since piecing together a couple excellent fantasy performances. However, he’ll continue to warrant a look in all formats so long as Isaiah Thomas remains sidelined, considering Mike Malone has decided to provide him with all the minutes he can handle. Through four spot starts for the injured Thomas, McCallum has logged 181 of a possible 192 minutes, and is finally beginning to take advantage of his ballooned playing time, averaging 19 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two steals and 42 DKPPG over his last two contests. He has improved his shooting from 30% over his first two starts to 44% of his last two, and hasn’t been shy when it comes to hoisting up the rock, averaging nearly 17 field goal attempts per game since entering the starting five. A matchup with the Lakers couldn’t be any more appealing, as they have been torched by opposing point guards of late. McCallum makes for a top value play on Wednesday night, but only if Thomas is unable to suit up.

NOTE:Isaiah Thomas is an obvious play at only $7,000 tonight if he deemed healthy enough to take the court.

A Look Ahead: Malone and the Kings front office will likely run McCallum until the wheels fall off at this point in the season, as Sacramento is well out of playoff contention, and they’d like to see what they have in their rookie guard. Continue to utilize his services until either Thomas returns or his salary climbs above $5,900.

Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG/SF, CHA ($3,500): Douglas-Roberts is a super punt at the shooting guard position on Wednesday, as he’ll square off against a Sixers club that’s ranked bottom five in nearly every relevant statistical category at defending the position. His $3,500 salary creates some appeal in an excellent matchup, as he’ll meet value with only 20 DKPTs against Philadelphia, who’s coughing up a whopping 38.5 fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards this season. Douglas-Roberts has tallied 22-plus DKPTs in four of his last six appearances, while averaging nearly 28 minutes per game in that stretch. He could earn some additional run on Wednesday, as the 76ers are 8.5 point dogs in their own house. Don’t ignore CDR at such an appetizing price.

A Look Ahead: Douglas-Roberts appears to have worked out a nice little role for himself off the Bobcats bench, as his minutes are approaching 30 per game, and he’s managed to produce respectable numbers in his allotted time. He’ll face Orlando and Cleveland later this week, which both make for appealing matchups. Feel free to deploy Douglas-Roberts on DraftKings, but only in good matchups or on short slates.

Pau Gasol, PF/C, LAL ($5,900): It looks like DraftKings may have overlooked something here. The algorithm is certainly flawed, and it can only benefit those of us who recognize it, as Gasol sits at a mouthwatering $5,900 in a quality matchup with the struggling Kings. He was underwhelming in his return to action on Tuesday, but still managed to finish with 29 DKPTs in only 28 minutes of work. Gasol’s fantasy point per minute production was fantastic throughout the month of March, and we can expect that trend to pick back up against the Kings on Wednesday, considering there is little reason to believe he won’t suit up.

A Look Ahead: Gasol could be the best value on DraftKings until his price jumps back over $7,000. His upside coupled with outstanding per minute production keeps him atop the list of “must play” value, regardless of matchup difficulty in the coming week.

Amar’e Stoudemire, PF/C, NYK, ($4,400): Stoudemire’s salary refuses to budge, despite several 30-plus DKPT performances in recent contests. He isn’t the high upside player we once remembered, but is capable of consistently providing 25-30 DKPTs on any given night (25-plus DKPTs in seven of last ten starts). A matchup with the league’s 29th ranked rebounding team in Brooklyn should afford Stoudemire with ample opportunity to accumulate peripheral stats to accompany his nightly 15-20 points. He has logged 30-plus minutes and 6-plus rebounds in each of his last three contests, making him a quality value forward option against the cross-town rival Nets.

A Look Ahead: As long as Stoudemire’s salary hovers between $4,400 and $4,600, he’ll remain a viable value play with 35 DKPT upside. He isn’t the most desirable fantasy option on busy nights, but does make for a serviceable, high floor play who will rarely sink you lineup on his own.

Drew Gooden, PF/C, WAS ($4,100): Just as Gooden’s salary comes back to earth, his production begins to rise. Over his last two appearances, he is averaging 14 points, eight rebounds, two steals and 30 DKPTs over 28 minutes per game, while shooting an impressive 59 percent from the field in that span (10-17 FG). Trevor Booker’s minutes and subsequent production continue to decline, making Gooden a respectable low-end forward play at $4,100.

A Look Ahead: Gooden’s fantasy value will effectively be squashed when Nene Hilario returns to the lineup, but that is not yet the case, as it looks like Nene still remains a couple games away from a return. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to utilize Gooden at his current salary, as he is more than capable of providing 24 DKPTs (value) as long as his minutes remain in the mid to upper-20’s.

Omer Asik, PF/C, HOU ($,4000): The recent absence of Dwight Howard has allowed Asik to prove his worth as much more than just space filling bench player. He’s averaging 12 points, 17 rebounds and 37.5 fantasy points through 35.5 minutes per game over his last two starts, and should continue to mirror those totals on Wednesday against a Raptors frontcourt that has coughed up some plump fantasy totals to opposing centers of late. Donatas Motiejunas, who would be seeing plenty of minutes in place of the ailing Howard, is incapable of keeping his hands to himself, and will spend more time on the bench from foul trouble than anything else. Asik should have the frontcourt to himself again versus the Raptors, especially if Terrence Jones is held out for a second straight game with an illness.

A Look Ahead: Asik will remain an excellent value play at only $4,000 so long as Howard is on the shelf. There’s no saying how much time Howard will miss at this point, but Houston’s upcoming schedule is highly conducive to Asik’s fantasy value in the event that he starts. Outside of a difficult matchup with the Thunder on Friday, the Rockets will face Denver, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver again over the next seven days.